A trend of injuries to the offensive line and backfield might force Florida to alter its plans for the upcoming spring game. The latest lineman to go down is sophomore Nick Alajajian, who suffered a meniscus injury this week and will miss the rest of the spring session.

That leaves the Gators with seven healthy offensive linemen as they head into a scrimmage tomorrow and the spring game April 9. The typical spring game format would require a minimum of 10 linemen, five on each team.

Florida will release Muschamp's plan for the spring game Monday. (UAA photo)

“We’re just getting a little thin on the lines of scrimmage,” he said after today’s practice. “It’ll be interesting with being so thin to see how many snaps we will be able to get in. We’ve got to do a good job as a staff monitoring that.

“No. 1, we’re too thin to divide up, and No. 2, I don’t want to get a guy matched up in a bad mismatch and you can’t get the ball off. That certainly can happen, especially as thin as we are. That’s the operation we’re going to have. We met this morning about the spring game and the procedures we’ll go through.”

OT Xavier Nixon, a projected starter, has been out for a few days with a sprained ankle and could miss at least two more practices, Muschamp said.

The only running backs available are Chris Rainey and Mike Gillislee — Gillislee might miss the game due to a stress fracture in his foot. Starting RB Jeff Demps is not practicing this spring because he is on the Florida track team. Red-shirt sophomore Mack Brown is out after breaking his leg last week.

Here are some other notes from Muschamp’s post-practice press conference:

–QB Jacoby Brissett, a signee in February, is not enrolled early, but the staff is helping him to stay up to date as much as possible. Brissett, from Dwyer HS, attended three or four days worth of practices and meetings during his spring break last month. He also has a video tutorial on the new playbook.

Brissett led Dwyer to a win over Findlay Prep this week. (ESPN photo)

“He will spend more time obviously when summer comes,” Muschamp said. “But we’ve got a video playbook that we go through with our players that we put together on both sides of the ball that’s more of a teaching terminology, formation sets, routes, run game — we have a pretty extensive teaching video that you can learn from so that when you get here you’re familiar with the terminology.”

Brissett, a true freshman, will contend with three other quarterbacks. John Brantley, a senior, is in position to start. Red-shirt freshman Tyler Murphy and true freshman Jeff Driskel also are enrolled and going through the spring session.

That puts Brissett at a clear disadvantage, though the video and his recent interaction with the team should help him stay within range of his competitors.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a disadvantage; I’d just say that’s the situation,” Muschamp said. “How well he takes to the system, the terminology, how much study he does in the spring and summer, obviously is very critical. He’s a very conscientious young man, so I would assume that he will come in very well-prepared.”

Why didn’t Brissett enroll early? There probably are several reasons, but one of them is that he is an elite basketball player and wanted to finish his senior season at Dwyer. He led the Panthers to a state title and helped him them beat powerhouse Findlay Prep in a Maryland tournament this week. Click here for his latest basketball conquest.

You can also click here for a recent PBGametime story on Brissett’s football/basketball situation with Dwyer and Florida.

–Red-shirt freshman WR Quinton Dunbar continues to be an unseen legend. Dunbar’s name came up often during 2010 training camp and he again is drawing the attention of teammates and coaches this spring. Dunbar, 6-1, 170, played one game as a true freshman last season, but is striding toward a regular spot in this year’s rotation.

“I think Quinton has made a lot of vertical plays down the field and really is a weapon because of his size,” Muschamp said. “He’s catching the ball extremely well down the field.”

–WR Andre Debose has been out at least two days with a sprained ankle, but is expected to be back by the spring game.

–Jonotthan Harrison, a red-shirt sophomore, is making progress at center after moving from left guard. Harrison, by the way, probably is the funniest Gator to follow on Twitter. Check him out by clicking here.

“There’s an awful lot on a center as far as snapping and blocking, and if you’ve never done it before, there’s an awful lot to it,” Muschamp said. “I’ve been pleased with his progress.”

–A shocking thing happened this week: Florida allowed Rainey to speak to the media. Click here to read what he said.

Former coach Urban Meyer put Rainey on lockdown after he criticized former teammates during 2010 training camp, and certainly did not consider lifting the ban after Rainey’s arrest for stalking in September.

Rainey’s other past media blunders include proclaiming himself, “a white girl man,” and telling the Miami Herald, while in high school, he was receiving free gifts from a variety of sources.

Muschamp continued his ongoing mantra of, to paraphrase, anything that happened before I got the job didn’t really happen.

“I don’t know about last year,” he said. “Chris is going to be a productive football player for us. He’s a senior. He’s been a very productive football player for University of Florida. I think he needs that access to the media and I think y’all deserve that access with him.

“I trust him. I certainly do. Chris Rainey has worked tremendously hard since I’ve been here. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do and there’s been nothing that has been any glitch as far as how he has performed on and off the field for us since I’ve been at the University of Florida, and that’s really all I go off of. The determination was made through that. We all go through a maturing stage in our life. I certainly think that whatever happened — I don’t even know — maybe he grew up from and learned from.”